England manager Thomas Tuchel has named Jude Bellingham in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania. The Real Madrid midfielder returns to the national team setup after missing last month’s fixtures due to fitness issues following shoulder surgery.
Bellingham’s exclusion from the October squad for matches against Wales and Latvia raised questions, but Tuchel maintained his focus on continuity with players who had performed well in September. England went on to win both games comfortably, maintaining a perfect qualifying record.
Now fully fit, Bellingham has started in Real Madrid’s last five matches across all competitions, scoring in three, including a standout performance in the 2–1 win over Barcelona. His return strengthens England’s midfield options as the team prepares for its final qualifiers before the World Cup.
England have already secured their place in the finals after six straight wins, but Tuchel is expected to use these matches to fine-tune his squad ahead of next March’s final training camp. The manager faces strong competition for attacking midfield roles, with players such as Eberechi Eze, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Phil Foden also in contention.
Tuchel’s latest selection suggests a balanced approach, rewarding consistency while welcoming back one of his most talented players. England will host Serbia at Wembley next Thursday before traveling to Tirana to face Albania three days later.
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